Strategy, Structure and Culture: Three Keys to Organizational Success

There are many approaches to understanding how the workplace works. What makes people productive? Why do some companies and organizations overcome obstacles and challenges, while others seem to collapse under their weight and fail?

When considering such questions, it’s helpful to examine three key areas: strategy, structure, and culture. As we’ll see, one of those areas is often, and too easily, overlooked.

The first area, strategy, is the proverbial “no-brainer.” After all, how can any enterprise exist, let alone move forward, without a carefully thought out strategy? Likewise, no project or initiative can hope to succeed without team members understanding why it is being implemented, and why it is important.

You may have heard the term cross-functional. In management, it refers to the way teams or departments with different skills or purposes work together for a common goal or objective. That can only be accomplished if there is a clearly defined and agreed-upon strategy.

Second, there must be structure. In most companies, that will include organizational charts, the division of the organization into departments, and systems for communication and interaction between those departments, with managers and supervisors installed at various levels throughout. Some structures will be hierarchical, while others—particularly in smaller businesses—may be more collegial in nature.

Finally, there is the issue of culture. An organization’s culture may be clearly defined in its mission statement. Often, however, the culture takes on a life of its own. Culture reflects the unwritten rules of organizational behavior—the values that define an organization and shape the way it operates.

Too often, an organization can’t, or won’t, see past the nose on its face to fully understand its culture and how it got that way. But a simple examination of past performance, and the factors that contributed to the current climate within an organization, can help leaders and managers better shape a more productive and functional corporate environment—with the future clearly in mind.

How do you measure up in these three areas? It’s worthwhile—even critical—to examine your strategy, structure and culture for clues to how your organization can be truly successful in accomplishing its goals.

Jim Ondrus is a Vistage Chair and president of JA Ondrus, LLC in Canton, Ohio.

Interview: Dave Kirven

I have had the good fortune of working with, and learning from, great leaders during my career. One of the keys that has been evident to me is their ability to build great relationships and focus on bringing people and resources together to get results. Dave Kirven, business manager for Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 94 in Canton, has spent 32 years in the labor field, working to bring the community together by getting people and organizations to go outside of their comfort zones for the common good.

In addition to his responsibilities with Local 94, Dave is also president of the East Central Ohio Building & Construction Trades Council, which comprises 22 local trade union chapters, and is chairman of the Stark Carroll Oil & Gas Partnership, an alliance of local community and government groups that promotes understanding of the oil and gas industry.

Dave is a good friend and I am honored to feature him as one of our spotlight interviews this month. Here are his comments:

Heroes, coaches and mentors: My most significant hero was my sister Laura, who battled cancer for 20 years. I have also taken bits and pieces of learning from various union leaders and managers over my career.

Most significant “a-ha” or “wow” moments to this point:  I’d have to say the importance of my family, and the realization of how fast kids grow up. I’ve also learned the importance of not second-guessing myself and being professional and self-confident.

Greatest insights and experiences:  I am the first plumber in 35 years to sit in this chair and have the responsibility of being business manager for our union. So I’ve learned the importance of getting past stigmas and:

  1.) being more inclusive and learning how to treat people;

  2.) being more transparent; and

  3.) learning how to deal with people and getting more people involved.

Three key pearls of wisdom to share with young aspiring leaders:

  1.) Share your success.

  2.) Own your mistakes.

  3.) Nine out of 10 times if it feels good in your heart, it is probably the right thing to do.

The legacy that you want to leave: I want organizations to see the integrity of the work that we do.

Interview: Mike Boyd and Lauren Boyd

This month’s featured interview offers two for the price of one: Mike Boyd, president of Creative Source in Canton, and his daughter Lauren, who recently joined Cleveland Clinic as assistant director of development programs.

Mike Boyd and Lauren Boyd at an OSU game

I met Mike six years ago in a networking group meeting, and he’s been a great friend and colleague ever since. We’re both members of the Rotary Club of Jackson Township, and he’s provided outstanding leadership for the club’s signature event, the annual Field of Honor/Field of Heroes, for the past five years.

I first met Lauren four years ago, when she attended a communication styles workshop I conducted at Creative Source. She graduated from Hoover High School in North Canton in 2008 and went on to graduate from The Ohio State University.

I thought it would be interesting to interview Mike and Lauren and see how their perspectives align on such topics as learning, mentoring, and being open to new opportunities.

First, I’ll let Mike’s words reflect the values that have shaped his leadership style and sharpened his focus:

Business story: “After working in the marketing and advertising department for Camelot Music for thirteen years, I was at a career crossroads when Camelot was facing the prospect of bankruptcy in 1996. So several of us who were colleagues there decided to start our own business, which became Creative Source. Today only Dave Hess and I remain with the company. We drew on our experience with creating in-store promotional materials for Camelot and applied it to producing high-impact signs, displays and printing for businesses of all types and sizes. This is our twentieth anniversary year, and it’s been an enjoyable journey and a fantastic learning experience.”

Heroes, coaches and mentors: “My good friend Dean Langfitt from Sandler Training showed up at just the right time in my career, and has taught me a lot about sales. I also got involved in Toastmasters International a few years ago, which has helped me become more comfortable with public speaking and making presentations. The Rotary Club of Jackson Township has provided me with an outlet for public service and networking. I also serve on the board of directors of CommQuest Services in Canton and have been inspired by their work.”

Pearls of wisdom: “Don’t be too busy doing the work to be engaged and network with people. It is important to give back to the community and pass on what you have learned. It is important to be an influencer. Be an active impact player, playing to win versus playing not to lose. Reach out to connect with people face to face.”

Your personal legacy:  “To be engaged and know that I have touched someone's life in a positive way!”

~~~~~

Like her father, Lauren’s experiences and personal values have shaped her perspective on leadership and success. Here are her thoughts:

Business story: “While I was still an undergraduate at Ohio State I worked as a communications assistant in the University Communications office. After graduating I worked in University Marketing as a social and multimedia specialist, focusing on alumni, fundraising and recruitment initiatives. I joined Cleveland Clinic in March of this year as assistant director of development programs, helping patients and donors find ways to support the causes, projects and research that are meaningful to them. The key to the opportunities I’ve had in my career to this point has been to build and nurture strong, lasting relationships.”

Heroes, coaches and mentors: “My dad is my greatest hero and mentor! He has provided me with a solid foundation and helped me forge my independence. He never forced me to go a specific direction, but was always there to offer solid guidance, and in a kind manner challenge my thinking. At his urging I joined Toastmasters International, and it has been one of my greatest assets for professional development.”

Pearls of wisdom: “Everything happens for a reason; if you work hard, you’ll stand out and the pieces will begin to fall in place. The best way to overcome age and stereotypes is by proving yourself and making a difference. Always be willing to be involved, and always be willing to learn.”

Personal legacy: “That I made a difference; that I was inspirational, enthusiastic and passionate about everything that I did. That I worked toward a good cause and enjoyed a happy and fulfilling life.”

~~~~~

For more information about Creative Source, visit www.csforideas.com. For more information about giving programs at Cleveland Clinic, visit https://giving.clevelandclinic.org.

 Jim Ondrus pioneered the management concept of Leadership Transitioning™. He is president of JA Ondrus, LLC, a Canton, Ohio executive coaching firm.

Happy Together: The Secret to Staff Success

Recently there was a fascinating article published by Inc. magazine detailing a two-year study conducted by Google that revealed what factors were the keys to staff performance.

The article on the Inc. website

Author Mark Thompson, a California-based business consultant, summarized the study, which ultimately revealed that it’s how a team works together that matters more than who is on it. In other words, recruiting an all-star team of performers isn’t what makes the difference; rather, it’s the common focus and mission of the people on the team—as a whole—that leads to success.

As Thompson wrote, “the rock star status of the individuals selected for the team played a smaller role in organizational success than the willingness of each member to commit serious effort to work together to achieve big hairy audacious goals as a team.”

Big hairy audacious goals. There’s a phrase you don’t hear every day. But it illustrates the point perfectly. You want people working for you, and with you, who are passionately committed to a common purpose—who have the community’s interest at heart, and not just their own.

The survey results align with what we know about Millennials (a topic I wrote about in my last blog post). Millennials are value-based, and expect companies and organizations to focus on people, products and purpose over profit. In a few short years, they will make up the majority of the work force.

In business today, it’s not the top-down-oriented, authoritarian leader who gets results. The old style of leadership has been replaced with one that focuses on bringing a team together and letting them come up with solutions that work.

Our consulting and team-building sessions are oriented to this new way of thinking for a new century. What we’re witnessing, and our clients are discovering, is that management’s job today is truly to bring out the best in people—to motivate them to optimum performance, as a team.

Click here to read the entire article by Mark Thompson at the Inc. website.

Jim Ondrus pioneered the management concept of Leadership Transitioning™. He is president of JA Ondrus, LLC, a Canton, Ohio executive coaching firm.

Relationships and Values: The Essentials for Success

I speak often of the importance of relationship power in today's business world. The way people buy into effective change in a corporate culture is dramatically different than it was just a few short years ago. The top-down model of directional/positional relationships does not appear to lead to the employee development and results that we desire.

Trust me, I work hard and am committed to practicing what I preach. More than anything, I value building dynamic and results-based relationships with exceptional people. Over the years, I have been blessed to have a number of key mentors who have coached and guided me in the principles of success.

One of those is Dr. Larry Senn, chairman and founder of Senn Delaney, a Heidrick & Struggles company. I was honored to be a partner with Senn Delaney and for almost 20 years worked with and learned from some of the most talented leadership consultants, who believed strongly in the Senn Delaney values-based approach of creating solutions for organizations, their leaders and employees at all levels of the organization.

Senn Delaney refers to them as the "Essential Values Set." They are:

• A performance value, which has a results focus, high expectations and an emphasis on personal accountability.

• A collaborative value, which promotes cross-organizational teamwork, mutual support and decisions for the greater good.

• A change value, which encourages innovation, openness to change, individual and organizational coaching, mentoring and learning.

• An ethics/integrity value, which provides an essential foundation for all else.

• An organizational (individual and team) health value, which creates and energized, open, trusting, respectful, positive, hopeful and optimistic environment.

It is through the implementation of all—not just some—of the above values that organizations can achieve lasting, positive change and approach the future with confidence. I worked closely with Larry Senn over the years, and traveled with him on many sales and consulting calls. I know the Essential Values Set worked because I saw them in action. Larry and our team lived by them, and taught me to live by them as well.

Today, I utilize those values in the practice of Leadership Transitioning™. They have made a difference not only for me, but for hundreds of corporations and organizations the world over. I know they will help you, too. To learn more, please visit my website at www.leadershiptransitioning.com, or call me at (330) 754-5767.

Jim Ondrus pioneered the management concept of Leadership Transitioning™. He is president of JA Ondrus, LLC, a Canton, Ohio executive coaching firm.

Leadership Transitioning: At Your Service

In a nutshell, it's my elevator speech. It's my response to the question, "So, Jim, what do you do?"
  
I educate people in the skill of Leadership Transitioning™, which focuses on three areas: leadership development, coaching leaders, and a focus on health and wellness—both personal and organizational.

To elaborate, Leadership Transitioning™ is the ability to embrace change, envision success, adapt to the environment and surround ourselves with others committed to their own personal success. It's the ability to be disciplined and passionate on our leadership journey to develop the personal skills and capabilities necessary to achieve excellence in an environment of constant change. It's the ability to actively navigate the chaos and constant change of our modern world—and win!

How is it achieved? Three ways.

• Leadership development recognizes that we all have God-given skills that need to be honed and developed in order to maximize our leadership success..

• Coaching leaders reinvigorates willing leaders, builds effective teams and enables a team to capitalize on their capabilities and opportunities using their corporate culture as a base. The coach and the "coached" relationship is critical and special. Respect, trust, caring, honesty, commitment, perseverance, clear goals, work ethic and personal attitude are the key to success.

• Health and wellness focus recognizes that nothing is possible without a sound mind and body, and that balance is different for each individual and organization. It involves a mental toughness and proper mindset to be the best at achieving health, spiritual, mental and financial goals.

In a nutshell, that is what I do. Over the past 30 years of my career I have successfully worked with numerous leaders at all levels of organizations in the US, UK, Canada and South Africa. The industries and size of companies that I have worked with have included: manufacturing, energy (electrical, natural gas, governmental, international and support companies), major insurance companies, non-profits, universities and small family owned businesses.

Leadership Transitioning™ is the culmination of more than 30 years of learning, listening and sharing the principles that create high achievers—in both the professional and personal sense. Please visit my website, www.leadershiptransitioning.com, to learn more. Then give me a call and I'll be happy to help you transition to the level of success you desire and deserve.

Jim Ondrus pioneered the management concept of Leadership Transitioning™. He is president of JA Ondrus, LLC, a Canton, Ohio executive coaching firm.

A Five-Star Lesson in Leadership

When I was a young officer in the United States Army, I had a number of unforgettable experiences. Perhaps none made more of an impression than my encounter with the legendary General of the Army Omar Bradley, one of the truly towering military figures of the 20th Century.

Gen. Bradley commanded troops in North Africa and Western Europe during World War II, and after the war headed the Veterans Administration, became Army Chief of Staff, and later was appointed the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President Harry Truman. He is one of only nine people to have held the rank of five-star general.

1st Lt. Jim Ondrus (L) meets Gen. Omar Bradley

So you can imagine my excitement when he visited Schofield Barracks, where I was stationed in Hawaii in 1976. I had the opportunity to meet this remarkable leader and have my photo taken with him. I was a 1st Lt. and Executive Officer of the Headquarters Company of the 2nd Bridage, 25th Infantry Division, and one of my responsibilities was the Dining Hall in Quad C. General Bradley was adamant that he wanted to see the troops. As he put it, all he wanted to do was spend time with the soldiers, to greet them, encourage them and see how they were doing. As luck would have it, the "Soldiers General" met with about 50 of our great soldiers in "my" Dining Hall that day in 1976.

I’ve shared that story many times over the years as an example of true leadership. Despite having risen to the highest rank possible in the U.S. Army, and to the highest military position under the Commander-in-Chief, General of the Army Omar Bradley knew the importance of building confidence and trust with the people who were on the front lines—the troops who had to get the job done and perhaps even make the ultimate sacrifice if necessary.

It’s a great reminder to executives, managers, supervisors and anyone else in a position of responsibility in a company or organization. People matter. Relationships are the key. And nothing good happens when morale is low.

Take stock of your organization by examining the relationships you have with your staff. See where there’s room for improvement, and commit yourself to doing something about it. When you do, you’ll see a change in their performance—and yours—and in the overall effectiveness of the organization as a whole.

Jim Ondrus pioneered the management concept of Leadership Transitioning™. He is president of JA Ondrus, LLC, a Canton, Ohio executive coaching firm.

Cultural Assessment: A Vital Part of the Road Map to Success for Your Organization

Have you ever noticed how preoccupied businesses are with communicating their image? Marketing plans, slogans, advertising strategies—all designed to convey who they are and where they’re going.

How about you? Have you been working on a long-range plan? Maybe you’ve thought about creating a new slogan or logo to give you a fresh outlook.

On the surface, those things look great. However, when it comes to long-range planning, there’s a vital question to ask: What if you don’t make it? More to the point, what if you can’t make it?

The simple truth is this: It’s impossible to get to where you want to go—to reach your goals as an organization—if you don’t know where you are to begin with.

Let’s say that your business has been going gangbusters for several years, when suddenly a game changer appears. One or more competitors arrive on the scene with new business or operating models that change the marketplace for your industry. How well would your company respond such a dynamic challenge?

Think of the leaders and team members in your organization. How prepared are they to compete in this fast-moving, digital age—to adapt swiftly, effectively and collaboratively to keep your company in the game?

I recently read an article suggesting that global Internet traffic will increase eight-fold by 2025. This, after it had already surged 18-fold since 2005! The pace of change in business and technology today is mind-boggling. It’s a challenge to keep up, let alone get ahead.

That’s why it’s important to do a cultural assessment, to determine what your company’s strengths are and how prepared you are for the challenges you will face. What opportunities do you and your leadership team see for your company? Likewise, what are the challenges that threaten your business? Are you able to adapt to those? You need to know where you stand—right now, today.

Many of the decisions that you and your leadership team are going to make could very well be “bet your company” decisions; in other words, the very future of your organization is at stake! That’s why it is imperative to know if you have a leadership team and a corporate culture that will rise to the challenges at hand.

As a leader, it is your responsibility to initiate the assessment process. Individually and organizationally, it’s important for everyone to clearly understand how success is going to be measured, as well as how and why adjustments will need to be made. Set the tone by starting with your self, and asking others on the management to do the same.

For many years companies were encouraged to develop five-year plans as a road map for success. But times have changed; today, a two-year or three-year strategy is recommended, due to the rapid pace of change in our technology-driven world.

Do you have a plan? Think about how you can involve your entire organization, including management and employees, in the process of completing a cultural assessment. Determining where you are as an organization is the vital first step that will help you manage change effectively and bring about the results you desire.

“If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself" — Henry Ford

Jim Ondrus pioneered the management concept of Leadership Transitioning™. He is president of JA Ondrus, LLC, a Canton, Ohio executive coaching firm.

Common Characteristics of Dynamic Leaders

With more than 30 years of Executive Coaching Experience and conducting Leadership Development Seminars, I’ve had the opportunity and privilege to observe a lot of outstanding leaders at work. Even though clients engage me as a consultant, they haven’t been the only ones doing the learning; I’ve also learned from them. So I thought that I would use this blog from time to time to discuss a few key characteristics that, from my experience and observation, are key traits that successful and dynamic leaders share.

1. Dynamic Leaders are passionate, focused and disciplined workers

On the one hand, effective leaders see the potential in their people and focus on what will make them successful, and readily give credit where credit is due. On the other hand, they also know that it’s “all about them” — about how hard they personally work, the example they set, and the shadow of influence they cast. That shadow of influence of the leader means setting high standards and then leading by example. It recognizes that people watch leaders, to see what they do and how they live the principles that they espouse.

2. Dynamic Leaders lead from the front and love what they do

Seems obvious, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, many managers and supervisors don’t engage their team members or communicate clearly their goals and objectives. Employees don’t function well in a vacuum. Effective leaders aren’t afraid to get down in the trenches with their colleagues to learn what their strengths and challenges are, learn about their goals and dreams, and discover how to best support them so they can aspire to being the best that they can be.

3. Dynamic Leaders focus on growth—their own and others’

In fact, dynamic and effective leaders are passionate about such growth. They don’t just hire the best and the brightest and then sit back and expect them to perform at the highest possible levels automatically. They recognize that life is a learning process, and that it’s important to invest in their people and in themselves, so that everyone can be at the top of their game. A true leader knows that everyone has leadership potential and that the measure of a leaders skill is to enable others to unlock that potential.

There are many more important characteristics that effective leaders share, and we’ll continue to explore those in future blog posts.

Jim Ondrus pioneered the management concept of Leadership Transitioning™. He is president of JA Ondrus, LLC, a Canton, Ohio executive coaching firm.